andreadbc

I've thought about this and it might be because they are offering the fees for Peruvian residents, not just Peruvian citizens. You can have a DNI with a New Zealand address and according to LAN, you wouldn't be eligible for the Base Fare (whether they enforce this or not is a different matter). Or maybe you are going to get a Carné de Extranjería soon but want to buy the tickets with some anticipation...
I've always thought that they aren't big on checking travel document numbers beforehand, since many times my DNI number has been registered on the ticket, but I've traveled with my passport. A travel agent once registered a bogus DNI number for my brother (I noticed and asked her to get it fixed).

Mr. Bean

This isn't just a LAN or Peru thing - other countries and carriers do this, too. There may or may not be back-door routes to get around it, however.

Well, yeah. But sometimes it's cheaper to buy the local fare and pay the $178 than it is to buy the non-local fare. Even cheaper is to just avoid LAN.

Mr. Bean

so, is LAN actually enforcing this rule? anyone actually been told to pay the extra $178.50?

OLCI is always a smart move - wonder if it's just that simple.

andreadbc

I heard back in September when the rule began that they were enforcing it but haven't heard about this since. If you check-in online and check no luggage, would they be able to tell that you are on a Base fare from the boarding pass? From what I remember, they usually ask for ID at the boarding gate.

shockman

I did LIM-CUZ last saturday. I did check-in online, no bags, and at the gate I just showed my passport (I'm chilean citizen, although I've peruvian residence but did not show it just to see if they ask for it or not). No problem at all.

Reservation was done also with passport.

bingocallerb22

Hmm. Did you have to show your Chjilian passport? In my experiences they never ask for anything at the gate except the Boarding Pass, never been asked for more on domestic flights.
A hint. Don't sit at the exact gate waiting area in Lima, sometimes they do a sweep for excess baggage... sit further away until they are preoccupied with the rush boarding 100 other people.

maynard7

I have a friend who is a dual national (Chile-Peru), but lives in Lima. He didn't know about this LAN policy, and went to the airport with his Chilean passport. When he checked in at the counter, they told him he had to pay almost $200 extra since he wasn't a Peruvian. He called his mother & asked her to bring his Peruvian ID to the airport (they live in San Miguel, so not too far away). He then went through the line (he ended up getting checked in by a different agent), and this time didn't have to pay that fee since he now had his Peruvian ID card.

People, just fly another airline (TACA, Star Peru, Peruvian Airlines), and don't worry about this fee. I don't understand why people keep flying on LAN when you can pay less on another carrier, and the planes are just fine (especially TACA). I haven't been on Peruvian yet, but my friends in Lima say the planes are nice, and the service is great.

GringoTexano

Peruvian Airlines - www.peruvianairlines.pe is a new alternative to LAN for domestic flights. I haven't flown on them yet, but their one-tier pricing is about the same as LAN's resident pricing. They only fly to a limited number of cities in Peru, including Lima, Cusco, Arequipa, Tacna, with others to be added soon. At last, a way of bypassing LAN's extortion-like fees for foreigners!

Captain Flush

Bumping to inquire whether any non-Peruvian citizens/residents out there have recent experiences successfully purchasing Base Plus fares through the Peruvian version of lan.com from their home country. Had heard some reports that LAN had clamped down on this practice, and the only options available to, say, US citizen travelers were to book the higher fare classes through the US portal or wait until arriving in Peru. TIA for any reports!

bingocallerb22

Do you mean Base fare? I am not sure what they would “clamp down ” on buying the Base Plus fare, it is available to non-residents, so you are doing nothing wrong.

In answer to your question, since September announcement, I have purchased the lower fares sitting in Canada using the Peru website version using my MC (with Secure Code) more than half a dozen times without any problems.

Captain Flush

Thanks for the info re: your experiences. And I am indeed referring to Base Plus fares--what specifically concerned me were some indications that it was becoming more of a crapshoot to have a foreign credit card actually accepted when trying to book tickets through the Peruvian site. My choice of the phrase "clamp down" was intended to suggest that buying tickets through the Peruvian website seems a relatively easy way to work around the fact that LAN apparently would rather not sell advance Base Plus fares to non-Peruvians (or else Base Plus fares would be bookable on all versions of lan.com), and it seems natural to speculate that blocking the use of foreign credit cards on the Peruvian site could potentially negate said workaround.

andreadbc

I wonder if all foreign credit cards are blocked or how they go about it... You do get the option to choose a different country for the credit card so in theory it should work...
I have purchased tickets using LAN's US page because prices were lower and have redeemed an award ticket using LAN's UK page because there were more flights with availability and never had any problem (with a Peruvian credit card). I think they do require that cards be Verified by Visa or have Mastercard's Secure Code... maybe that's a problem?

(Countless US websites won't let me buy things using the Peruvian credit card even if I intend to ship to a US address ).

bingocallerb22

Well, as I said, I have successfully used my foreign credit card to purchase base fares on the Peru website multiple times, whether while in Peru or at home. Had some problems years ago but now that I have Secure Code on my MC, no problems recently, so I won't go with the conspiracy theory, but likely as suggested above a credit card glitch. Curious now, be sure to come back to us when solved.

hyho61

I am trying to book multi city itinerary, on LAN's Peru website, the fares are too low (base fares, which are restricted to Peru residents) or US website, where the fares are too high.

However I am trying to book using LAN's Chile website where base plus fares are showing up on the multi city itinerary.

Any one has experience booking through alternate websites or other online travel agencies in Peru, please advise.

andreadbc

There is a way to get the Base Plus Fares in the LAN Perú site. When you get to "Paso 3: Precio", on the bottom right it says "Otros precios para pasajero" and then you can choose the fare that says "(V)" at the end, that's Base Plus.
I'd recommend using the Peru site instead of the Chile site, I think that Chile charges in pesos chilenos and the Peru site in US dollars.
Good luck!